Aviva Equity Release Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

COMPLETIONmonitor is web-based pre- and post-completion checklist for property lawyers. Supported by the CML and PI insurers such as AmTrust. It is a unique risk management tool.

This system facilitates the way you can demonstrate to lender panels that you are, and can stay fully compliant with their requirements, with alerts on Aviva Equity Release’s changes. While utilising COMPLETIONmonitor is not a condition for being on the Aviva Equity Release panel, demonstrating you can remain up to date with Aviva Equity Release’s Handbook requirements is an excellent support to your panel application and, more importantly, safeguard your firm’s panel status.

The software generates real-time alerts, automatically produces regulatory and CQS reports, and will enhance your firm's efficiency. In addition it is simply to use, cost-effective and, for some firms, leads to a PII saving.

Find a Law Firm approved by Aviva Equity Release

Lenders often change their requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements from Aviva Equity Release are not guidelines, they are instructions from a client. As with many clients, instructions can change - and they do change, frequently:

A Timeline of Policy Changes


Since 2008, Aviva Equity Release has made 134 revisions or additions to sections of their version of the CML Handbook.
That equates to a section change every 20.4 days. In total, 25% of the sections of P2 of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Aviva Equity Release have been changed since 15/12/2008.

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Recent Changes Include

# Date Assoc. Changes Related To
5.5.3c 20/12/2019 CML
Building Regulation Consent
Aviva Equity Release UK Ltd panel lawyers clarification as to whether they need to send an original/copy of any building regulation consents
5.7.1a 20/12/2019 CML
Flying Freeholds
Aviva Equity Release UK Ltd approved lawyers clarification as to whether they lend on flying freeholds
6.7.6 19/12/2019 CML
New Build Conveyancing
Aviva Equity Release UK Ltd approved conveyancer requirements for New Build Conveyancing : do Aviva Equity Release UK Ltd need to be sent the professional consultant's certificate
3.1.6 01/12/2014 CML
verification of identity
3.1.5 01/12/2014 CML
ID Documentation
Aviva Equity Release UK Ltd approved lawyers requirements re ID Documentation: Further acceptable documents (if any)
5.20.4 12/09/2013 CML
Green Deal Plans
Aviva Equity Release UK Ltd requirements for conveyancing panel/approved lawyers as to whether Aviva Equity Release UK Ltd need to be advised as to details of any existing Green Deal Plan(s) on a property
17.2.1b 12/07/2013 CML
Evidence of Discharge of Mortgage
Do Aviva Equity Release UK Ltd send the discharge via a DS 1 form or direct with the Land Registry?
6.7.1 05/07/2013 CML
New Build Conveyancing
Aviva Equity Release UK Ltd approved conveyancer requirements for New Build Conveyancing : Home Warranty Schemes
6.7.1 06/06/2012 CML
New Build Conveyancing
Aviva Equity Release UK Ltd panel conveyancer requirements for New Build Conveyancing : Home Warranty Schemes
3.2.3 28/03/2011 CML
Conveyancing Solicitors Details for Sellers
Aviva Equity Release UK Ltd requirements for notification of the name and address of the solicitors firm or licensed conveyancers firm acting for the seller?

Last update 04/04/2020

Aviva Equity Release Conveyancing Panel : Questions and Answers from members of the public

I instructed a law firm to conveyancing on my remortgage 5 weeks ago having applied for a mortgage with Aviva Equity Release. The law firm reassured me that they are on Aviva Equity Release conveyancing panel and gave me their panel number. Aviva Equity Release then ,via my broker advised that their panel number was dormant and would need to be reactivated. What happens next? Do I instruct a different law firm listed on the approved panel for Aviva Equity Release?
You may be very frustrated with the lawyer but if it only go take a few more days they it may be worth waiting as, depending on how far progressed you are you may end up delaying the transaction by a number of weeks if you need to replace your solicitor You may wish to enlist the help of your broker to check with the Aviva Equity Release as to the time frame to get your lawyer reinstated on the panel once again.
My grandson is purchasing a house that has just been built with a mortgage from Aviva Equity Release. His lawyer has advised him of a delay in receiving the ‘Disclosure of Incentive Form’. This document is news to me - what is it and who needs sight of it?
The form is intended to provide information to the main parties engaged in the purchase. Therefore, it will be provided to your son’s lawyer who should be on the Aviva Equity Release conveyancing panel as a standard part of the process, and to the surveyor when requested.

The Developer will be required to start the process by downloading the form and completing it.

The form will therefore need to be available for the valuer at the time of his or her site visit. The form should be sent to the Aviva Equity Release conveyancing panel solicitor as early as possible, in order to avoid any last minute delays, and no later than at exchange of contracts.

Do all the firms listed on your search have online case tracking as I understood that this was a condition of being on the Aviva Equity Release solicitor panel?
No. There is no CML Part 2 or Building Society Association requirement relating to online case tracking. Some law firms operate such technology and some don't.
My uncle passed away 10 months ago and as sole heir and executor was left the property. The house had a small mortgage remaining of approximately £4500. I want to transfer the title deeds into my name whilst I re-mortgage to Aviva Equity Release , pay off the mortgage etc. Is this possible?
If you intend to re-mortgage then Aviva Equity Release will insist on your using a conveyancer on the Aviva Equity Release conveyancing panel. Here is link to the Land Registry online guidance around what to do when a property owner dies. This will help you to understand the registration process behind changing the details re the registered title. in your case it would appear that you are effectively purchasing the property from the estate. Your Aviva Equity Release conveyancing panel solicitor pays the new mortgage money into the estate, the estate pays off the old mortgage, the charge is released and you become the owner and the Aviva Equity Release mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.
Can I be sure that the solicitor on the Aviva Equity Release panel is any good?
seeking recommendations is a good starting point. Before you go ahead check if they offer a no sale no fee offer. Also you often get what you pay for - a firm which quotes more will often provide a better service than one which is cheap as chips. We would always recommend that you speak with the lawyer handling your transaction
We have agreed to purchase a house.One unusual aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Aviva Equity Release have issued a mortgage offer so presumably this is not a concern to them. Why is my solicitor raising questions about the panel?
As your lender is Aviva Equity Release your lawyer must to check the Aviva Equity Release conveyancing instructions contained in the Part of CML Handbook for Aviva Equity Release . The CML Handbook contains minimum requirements for solar panel roof-space leases, and solicitors are required to report to Aviva Equity Release where a lease does not meet these requirements. The requirements relate to the installation of panels on properties in England and Wales. The CML are developing guidance for Northern Ireland and Scotland.
After much negotiation I have agreed a price on an apartment. My financial adviser suggested a solicitor I paid an upfront payment of 175. Soon after the conveyancers contacted me to say that they were not on the Aviva Equity Release conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?
You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Aviva Equity Release panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.